Sapphire Nuzlocke Run: Frustration
by HarmonicSpecter
Summary: Just another Nuzlocke, though I haven't seen very many in word form. But yea, Sapphire, with me in the lead role, doing the Nuzlocke Challenge. It's better than it sounds, I promise.
1. With A New Town

Ghost awoke with a jolt, sitting up abruptly and hitting her head on something. She groaned and rubbed the small lump forming beneath her dark brown hair as she took in her surroundings. "Oh yeah," she mumbled aloud to herself. "The moving van." The back of the moving van, to be precise. A moving van that had just stopped, which was what woke her up. "We're here!" She cried out with mock enthusiasm.

It had been a tiring journey, from Cherrygrove City in Johto all the way to Littleroot Town in Hoenn. All because her dad had to accept that position in freaking Petalburg. And while he got to go ahead by himself, Ghost and her mom had to make the journey with all the furniture and boxes and things, with Ghost riding in the back of the van during the whole drive.

She was momentarily blinded as the door was lifted up, and a gruff voice said, "Alright, we're here."

"Bout time," the young teen muttered as she stumbled out of the van and got her first look at her new town.

_Not impressive,_ she thought as she glared cynically at the home she didn't want. There were a few plain, boring houses scattered around. No children. A few elderly or older-than-middle-aged people sitting around in porch swings and whatnot. Most had Pokémon sitting in their laps or at their feet, dozing or holding things. Boring.

Ghost turned at the sound of the door next to her being opened. Out stepped her mother, looking just as tired as her daughter. But the brunette woman still held her ever-present cheerful smile. "Ah, we're here! Isn't it beautiful, Ghost?" No response. "I'm sorry you had to ride in the back with all the stuff, but there was no room in the seats." Silence. Ghost's mother sighed. "Well, come look at your room!" She grabbed her daughter's hand and pulled her inside.

The house was small, all they could afford what with the costs of the journey there. Machoke were clogging up the living room and kitchen, the only two rooms downstairs, bringing in and unloading the Sapphires' possessions. On the far wall was a flight of stairs leading to the second floor, where the bedrooms were. "Everything should be in your room by now. Dad got you a clock, so why don't you go unpack and set the clock?"

Ghost nodded and walked over to the stairs. Checking for Machoke, because there was no way either would be able to pass on the narrow stairway, she headed up.

Her room was the last down the small hallway, the bigger bedroom. The walls were a pleasant greyish color, which would have been gloomy if not for the light wood floor and bright rug paired with it. Her TV had been set up against the wall to her left, her GameCube next to it. The bed with orange-trimmed white sheets was made and on the far wall. Her desk and computer were in the corner, and the clock hung above it. Everything else was in boxes piled in the empty corner. She went over to one labeled "Ghost's Misc." and opened it. On top of everything else was a framed picture, which she picked up and placed on her desk.

It was a picture of Ghost taken not too long ago, with her arm around a girl of about the same age, whose chestnut-colored hair was put in two pigtails. On her head sat a large white hat with a pink stripe. Both girls were smiling and making peace signs with their free hands. Scribbled in the corner was "I'm gonna miss you! Love forever, Lyra." Lyra Crystal. Her best friend since infancy. She was due to start her Pokémon journey any day now, as was Ghost.

_Which reminds me.._. The teen sat down in the rolling chair at her desk and powered on the computer. She opened her mailbox and clicked the email entitled 'Challenge for all new Trainers!' It read:

"To all trainers of all regions just beginning their Pokémon journey:

I would like to present you with a challenge. If you win, you gain nothing but bragging rights and friends that last forever. If you lose, well... It varies from person to person. It's called the Nuzlocke Challenge. There are only three rules.

1: You must catch only the first Pokémon you encounter in an area. If you cause that Pokémon to faint, tough.

2: You must nickname all Pokémon you catch. This allows you to develop a closer bond to your companions, giving them a name to go with the face.

3: This is the hardest rule of all. When your Pokémon faints, you may not revive it at a Pokémon Center. That Pokémon is dead.

I wish you the best of luck if you accept this challenge, and a safe journey.

-Nuzlocke"

Ghost had received this email back in Johto, and at first she and Lyra had laughed at it. But after a bit of investigation, they found many heart-wrenching stories of people who had tried and failed, as well as the accounts of winners of the Nuzlocke Challenge. These were few in number, and none of the winners bragged. They sympathized with those who lost, and mourned for the comrades they had lost along the way. After much consideration and debate, the two girls agreed to do the Challenge together. Right before they found out about the Sapphires moving.

Ghost was still going through with the challenge, despite Lyra's warning that it would be harder alone. Whether she lost or won, Ghost was going to join the numbers of trainers who had attempted this difficult path. But she would win. She was determined to.

"Ghost! Come quick!" Her mother's yell brought her out of her thoughts.

Alarmed at the urgency in her voice, Ghost leaped down the stairs two or three at a time. "Are you okay, Mom?" She cried, bursting into the living room.

Her mother was dancing from foot to foot, inches away from the TV screen. "Come quick, they're showing Petalburg Gym! Dad might be on!"

Ghost found that she could muster up no excitement, and indifferently joined her in front of the television.

A heavily make-upped reporter stood in front of the gym Norman Sapphire had sent them a picture of. She was saying her sign-off. "We brought you this report from Petalburg City, and Hoenn, I bid you good night." It cut to commercial.

"Oh..." Her mother said sadly. "If he was on there, I guess we missed him." She perked up. "Oh, one of Dad's friends lives here in town. Professor Birch is his name. He's just next door, why don't you go introduce yourself?"

"Okay," Ghost replied uncertainly, then walked out the door. It had become late afternoon, and most everyone else had gone back inside. Good, nice and quiet without anyone gawking at her.

She paused for a moment as the sun bathed her in its warming embrace. Her father had told the truth about the climate in Hoenn. Growing up in temperate Johto, the heat and humidity of the new region was shocking. Luckily, they had stocked up on shorts and t-shirts, which Ghost had changed into as soon as she got the chance.

_I gotta stop zoning out like that,_ she thought as she shook her head in irritation at herself and jogged over to the neighboring house. It looked annoying alike to hers. No variety in this town. She knocked on the door and waited. _Once I start the Challenge I'll have to stay constantly vigilant._

The door opened to a woman who seemed to be in her early fifties, but still managed to stay attractive. Possibly because of her naturalness. There was no trace of make-up, with a few wrinkles where they were supposed to be, and a small number of gray hairs lacing the reddish-brown ones. She gave Ghost a welcoming smile. "Oh, hello. Who are you?"

"Uh, Ghost Sapphire, I'm-"

"Norman's daughter! Oh, I've heard about you! Come in, come in." Mrs. Birch stepped back and allowed Ghost to enter. Unsurprisingly, the interior of the house was similar to the Sapphires', with the exception of personal belongings. "Professor Birch is out right now," she said in reply to Ghost's inquiry. "But we have a son about your age upstairs. Why don't you go say hi?" The younger girl searched the elder's face for signs of teasing, but she was being sincere.

"Okay, it was nice to meet you." She said as she climbed the stairs. Feeling awkward and intrusive, she hesitantly peeked in each room until she saw a boy sitting at a desk in one of the rooms. She entered and stood in the doorway for a moment, studying her new neighbor.

He seemed to have short brown hair, but most of it was covered by a white hat with a black-and-red headband. He wore a long-sleeved red-and-black jacket with a yellow collar, and long black pants with yellow on the bottom. He also wore blue-and-yellow fingerless gloves, and bulky strange-looking red-and-black boot-like shoes. To say the least it was a strange outfit, but somehow he made it work.

He was deep in concentration, not noticing the stranger entering his room and approaching his desk. "Pokémon fully restored... Items all packed, and..." Ghost clutched the strap of her messenger bag nervously, then cleared her throat. He whirled around, eyes wide. "Hey! You... Who are you?"

"Ghost," she replied nonchalantly, as if she walked into strangers' bedrooms every day.

He relaxed as realization spread across his face. "Oh, you're the Sapphire kid aren't you? Moved in next door, right? I didn't know that you're a girl. Dad, Professor Birch that is, said that our new next-door neighbor is a Gym Leader's kid, so I assumed you'd be a guy."

"I'm going to choose to ignore that one, for now."

He chuckled and extended his hand. "My name's Brendan. So, hi, neighbor! Hey, Ghost, don't you have a Pokémon?" She followed his gaze to her belt, which had six empty pockets for Pokéballs. She shook her head silently.

"Well... do you want me to go catch you one?" He asked shyly, seeming almost surprised himself that he had asked.

Ghost cocked her eyebrow, then shook her head. "Sorry, that'd be against the rules. But thanks for offering."

Confusion flickered in his eyes, quickly replaced by shock. His eyes widened. "Wait... Are you taking the Nuzlocke Challenge?"

"Yeah. Are you?"

"No way! That's dangerous!" He paused, then put a hand on her shoulder. "Okay, well, you haven't started yet. It's not too late for you to change your mind, so I want you to listen to me. Carefully.

"This Challenge is a suicide mission created by a psychopath that never backs down from a challenge. Most of the time he doesn't even care about what happens to his Pokémon as long as he wins the challenge. Your Pokémon will die, and you will lose, and you know what usually happens when someone loses and all their friends are dead? They become depressed. Most end up killing themselves. The sheer pain of losing it all, losing more than just the opportunity of bragging rights, drives them over the edge. Now, you seem nice, and it's certainly good to see the face of someone younger than forty around here. I don't want to see anyone I know hurt like that."

For some reason, that small speech hit home. Brendan had certainly done his homework about this Challenge, which meant he had considered it. Lyra had given up too. What if it was a bad idea? _No. It doesn't matter._ "I've made up my mind. I'm doing the Challenge."

Brendan sighed and backed away. "Okay, well, I have to go help my dad catch some Pokémon. Goodbye, Ghost. Good meeting you."

"Same," she muttered in reply as he grabbed a backpack and exited the room. She lingered for a moment, still debating with herself, then also left the room and went back downstairs. "Goodbye, Mrs. Birch." She called as she left.

Brendan's mother leaned out of the kitchen and waved. "See you, Ghost!"

Once outside she started for her house and then stopped. She should have unpacked, but instead decided to take a walk. That was what she normally did when she needed to clear her head. But, of course, she had barely walked past the Sapphires' and Birches' houses when a shout rang through the air.

"Help!"

* * *

**Just a little afterword. I would like to thank alicekinsno1 for a bit of help here. (S)He pointed out quite a few glaring errors in my writing, and I have fixed them.**

**- Ghost**


	2. With Trainer Cards

"Help!"

The shout came again from the entrance to the town. Ghost adjusted the leather messenger bag on her shoulder and sighed. She glanced at the sky, which was moving towards early evening, then over her shoulder at her house. "I guess unpacking can wait until tomorrow," she muttered and ran in the direction of the urgent call.

Outside of Littleroot was mainly forest, with a single dirt road winding its way to the next town, and Ghost was forced to stop several times to detach herself from thorns as she followed the cry for help, which was growing more desperate by the second. She moved deeper into the trees, leaving the road behind, until she burst into a clearing, coming to a dead halt as she took in the situation.

Then she burst out laughing.

Pinned against a pine was a man in his mid-to-late-forties, dressed in a lab coat. _That must be Professor Birch,_ Ghost thought. What was amusing about the scene was that the creature cornering the professor was a small, adorable, gray canine Pokémon. It seemed to be just out of infancy and was gnawing on Professor Birch's arm with blunt baby fangs. The man was panicking, trying in vain to shake the young beast off of him.

"You!" He cried, noticing Ghost on her knees, shaking with mirth. "Stop laughing and help me! My bag, there, do you see it?"

Wiping tears from her eyes, the teenager rose and looked over at the leather satchel laying near her, a smile still on her face. "Yes, I see it, Professor."

"Inside are three Pokéballs, choose one and detain this villain!"

Ghost instantly sobered at the word 'Pokéball.' She had only had the chance to battle with a Pokémon a few times, during her childhood, when her father was actually willing to play with Lyra and herself. She loved the thrill of the battle, the unity felt between trainer and Pokémon. Even if it was against the puny thing using the professor as a chew toy, she was more than willing to help.

Upon opening the bag she found, as described, three half-red, half-white spheres on top of everything else. The only difference between them was a sticker, placed just above the black button in the middle. The left ball had a leaf sticker. On the middle one was a sticker of a tongue of fire. The one on the far right had a sticker depicting water as three blue wavy lines parallel to each other. With basic knowledge of starter Pokémon owned by the professors in each region, it wasn't hard for Ghost to deduce that these stickers told which Pokéball contained which starter.

Instinctively she reached for the one in the middle, but stopped herself before grabbing it. _This is Hoenn, not Johto. That's not Cyndaquil._ Cyndaquil was the Pokémon she had decided she was going to choose before learning of her family's moving. She had no idea what any of these three Pokémon were. Looking at her choices, she knew that her fate might depend on it. She would have to choose very carefully, with careful consideration.

"Eenie, meenie, miney, mo!" Her finger landed on the grass-type's ball. Ghost picked it up and examined it. She could see her warped reflection in the smooth, undamaged surface. She could have sworn that when she picked it up there was a flash of warmth in her hand, as well as a feminine laugh that somehow seemed both far away and close, in her ears and in her mind.

Professor Birch brought her out of her momentary stupor. "Oi! I don't know, you might remember why you're holding that thing. Oh yeah, to HELP ME!"

"Don't get your panties in a wad," Ghost retorted, pressing the button on the Pokéball and tossing it. It hit the ground, bounced, and opened. She caught the ball as it sailed back towards her and leaned forward eagerly to find out what she had chosen.

"Tree-cko!" The female Pokémon cried out the name of her species as she appeared. She was a bipedal, green, reptilian creature. Her hands and feet each had three digits, and her dark green tail was separated into two lobes. The eyes placed high on her head were yellow, with narrow pupils. Her wide nose jutted out over her mouth and chin which were pale red, as was her stomach. The small Treecko came up to about Ghost's hip, and didn't seem all that intimidating, which worried the human.

"Um, alright, Treecko. What moves do you have?" Ghost asked. The Pokémon looked into the girl's green-gray eyes with her intense golden orbs.

"Tree-tree." For a moment it felt like she had been struck by lightning, then Ghost heard a female's voice, the same way she had heard the laugh. _"Pound and Leer."_

_What?_

"Uh, use Pound." She tried hesitantly.

Treecko nodded and leaped at the animal 'attacking' Birch. The graceful reptile gently knocked it off of the man's arm, sending it flying to the center of the clearing. What she didn't expect was retaliation. Her target jumped up and lunged at her with surprising agility, crying out, "Poochyena!" Rather than using its teeth as it did when playing with the professor it pushed itself full-force into Treecko's stomach, slamming Ghost's new partner to the ground.

"Treecko, are you okay?" Ghost called, her eyes wide. She wasn't sure if such a small Pokémon could take any hit. Her fears were quickly relieved as the grass-type rose.

"Treeck..." Treecko pushed herself up and grabbed the Poochyena by the throat with one hand. She lifted it up to eye level and clenched her other hand into the equivalent of a fist.

"Treecko..." Ghost smiled faintly. "Pound."

Critical hit. Their opponent flew into the trees, and didn't return. Treecko turned to Ghost, grinning victoriously. She seemed to barely notice the few bruises and scratches on her body, a number of which were bleeding slightly. The girl lifted the small Pokémon up onto her shoulder, wiped away some of the blood, and walked over to Professor Birch, who was abnormally absorbed in gathering all of his materials.

"So... Big emergency, wasn't it, Professor?" Ghost said, smirking impishly.

"Oh, hush you," he retorted half-heartedly, placing his bag on his shoulder. He looked around for a few seconds, then turned to Ghost. "Which way is Littleroot Town?"

"This way," she answered, and began leading the way out of the forest. Birch walked beside her, and after a moment spoke up.

"Now, who are you?"

"Ghost Sapphire, Norman's daughter. You may or may not have heard about me. I doubt it, knowing my dad around someone equally interested in Pokémon."

The professor replied slowly, sounding uncomfortable. "He... mentioned you. After I asked about his family. He said that you were shaping up to be an amazing trainer."

Ghost stopped so suddenly that he nearly kept walking without her. "Don't lie to me, Professor," she murmured so quietly that Birch strained to hear her. "My dad doesn't give a crap about me. It wasn't even his idea for my mom and me to move here. He was perfectly content with us staying in a whole other region." She swallowed hard, and forced herself to keep walking, avoiding the man's questioning gaze.

They continued in silence, until they broke out of the trees onto the road. Birch turned to her and smiled, attempting to relieve the tension. "Come with me to my lab, I think I need to reward such brave heroes."

Ghost lifted her eyes, her mouth trembling until finally she gave in and returned the friendly grin. "Oh really, I was just doing the right thing." She responded in a mocking tone.

"Oh no, I think you'll want this."

As the professor took the lead, Ghost heard a voice which sounded so familiar, though she couldn't place it.

"_Yes, you will want this."_

"Did you say something, Professor?"

He turned and looked at her quizzically. "Why? Did you hear something?"

"I thought I did," she answered softly.

"Well, no. _I_ didn't say anything," he said mysteriously and kept walking.

* * *

Soon after they were standing in a standard laboratory, with machines that Ghost didn't recognize and notebooks lying on tables everywhere. And bookshelves. Many, many bookshelves. Also, there were no chairs. All of the lab staff stood while they worked, no matter what they were doing. Professor Birch led Ghost to an empty spot out of the way, then turned to address her.

"Now, I know that you don't have a Pokémon of your own, Ghost, but the way Treecko reacted to you was superb! You definitely have your father's blood in your ve-" he stopped, seeing the indignation flaring in the young girl's eyes, and quickly changed tactics. "I can see that Treecko is already attached to you. So, I would like you to have her."

"Really?" Ghost shouted in excitement, looking at the Pokéball in which she had stored Treecko, which was now resting in Birch's outstretched hand. Hardly daring to believe it, she slowly reached out to pick it up. She felt the same heat as when she first chose it, and as she moved to put it into her belt, the ball opened and Treecko appeared, unbidden, on her new trainer's shoulder.

"See, she does like you!" Professor Birch chuckled happily. "Would you like to name her?"

Ghost considered this for a few moments. She remembered a book that she had her mother read to her when there was nothing to do. It was a guide to the old languages spoken centuries before, a time of which there was very little knowledge besides basic words of the languages. One particular word seemed fitting.

"Her name is Crann," she declared, pronouncing it similarly to 'crown.'

Birch nodded and said, "Well, I can tell you two are going to be a great pair. Now, my son, Brendan, is out on Route 103, studying Pokémon. Why don't you go ask him for some pointers?"

"Okay, goodbye Professor, nice meeting you." She started for the door, then stopped. "Actually, before I leave, I need to ask you something."

"Yes?"

"When I first chose Crann, I didn't know any of the moves she had. Then I heard someone tell me what she knew. But, I didn't hear it like you would think. It was like- like someone else was talking in my thoughts. And then, just earlier, the same voice spoke, telling me that I would like your reward. That was when I asked you if you had said anything. Do you know what's going on?"

Professor Birch smiled calmly, which made Ghost relax slightly. "Some trainers say that, after their Pokémon have bonded with them more, their talk is translated into human speech. But only to their trainers. And supposedly it happens more easily as they progress until they get to the point where they can hear other trainers' Pokémon."

"And you think they tell the truth?"

"I think this just attests to my earlier statement that Tr- er, Crann, already trusts you. Now, goodbye, Ghost." His last sentence an obvious dismissal, he turned his back to inspect one of the machines.

Ghost grinned at Birch, then at her new Pokémon. "See you later." Then she exited the lab, and once again left Littleroot Town.

* * *

A little ways down the road, Crann spoke again, and this time it sounded less like it was inside Ghost's mind, and more existent. "Well, I think it's safe to say he wasn't lying."

"Really?" Ghost countered sarcastically. "But, you said earlier that I'd want his reward. How'd you know he was gonna give you to me?"

"I listened. He tends to talk to us – me, Mudkip, and Torchic – when he's working, and he said that a new trainer was moving here, the child of his friend, and that she was due to receive her first Pokémon. So after we saved his life," she paused briefly to giggle, seemingly amused by the professor's overreaction to the Poochyena, "and he said he was gonna reward _us_, it wasn't hard to figure out what he meant. Now, about my name... What's it mean?"

_Dang, she's smart... Maybe she'll help for more than battles..._ Ghost noted as she answered, "It's a word in an ancient language, meaning 'tree,' which I figured fit you. Do you like it?"

"It's alright," Crann admitted, "but it sounds a bit strange. Are all of our teammates going to have strange names?"

The trainer suddenly froze, turning to look at the Treecko staring innocently back. To be honest, she had not been thinking of new Pokémon during this journey. But when it was brought up, she knew she couldn't make it with just a Treecko. As soon as she got her hands on some empty Pokéballs, she would catch, as dictated by the Rules, the first Pokémon encountered in each area.

As luck would have it, farther down the road they encountered a few Pokémon, eliminating Route 101 as a possible area to catch in. Crann did level up a bit, and learned Absorb. Ghost quickly learned that the little green reptile had the passion to battle well, but the common sense to know when she needed to be healed.

The route ended at the entrance to town that appeared slightly larger than Littleroot, with normal civilian houses, and just a normal Poké Center and Mart. The wooden sign barely jammed into the ground and leaning slightly read 'Oldale Town.'

"Oldale, huh?" Ghost glanced at Treecko and smiled slightly, heading towards the Poké Center. She entered and was greeted at the counter by the usual Nurse Joy, her cheery voice identical to her supposed similar-looking relatives spread throughout the various regions.

"Hello, welcome to the Pokémon Center! Would you like me to heal your Pokémon?" The nurse's pink hair rings swayed as she spoke, a friendly smile present on her face. Ghost put Crann into her Pokéball and handed her over. "Thank you," Nurse Joy said. "It will be a few moments. May I have your name?"

"Ghost Sapphire," the new Trainer answered.

"May I see your Trainer Card?"

Ghost faltered, staring in confusion. "My... my what?"

For a moment the Pokémon healer's smile fell. "You've been traveling without being issued a Trainer Card?" Ghost nodded and Joy gasped. "If you're caught without one, you would be considered illegal! All of your Pokémon would be confiscated and you would be put on a list, never able to challenge a Gym without risking being arrested."

"C-can you issue me one?" Ghost asked quietly, her laurel-colored eyes wide at this shocking news. _Birch, I swear to Arceus next time I see you... _She shook her head and sighed.

Nurse Joy frowned sympathetically. "I'm sorry, no. Luckily, the closest Trainer Card issuing station is in Petalburg City. It's just west of here. But," her voice dropped to a whisper, "try not to get caught. Avoid Poké Centers and stock up on items you will need. Potions, antidotes, anything you need to heal your Pokémon. I suppose, for now, I can let it slide. I'll heal your Treecko. Just this once." She smiled warmly and then waved her hands towards the young teenager good-naturedly. "Shoo now, I'll call you when she's ready."

Ghost went and sat on a nearby couch, glancing occasionally at the counter. Nurse Joy ran her fingers on the Pokéball affectionately for a moment before placing it in a strange machine near her. _Hm... I wonder if all the Hoenn Joys are like her? A lot different than the Johto ones, for sure._ Her dad being a Gym leader, she had had many opportunities to travel all over Johto with Norman, and met many-a Nurse Joy. They were common, happy-go-lucky, standard script Joys, unlike this helpful woman.

"Ghost, your Pokémon is ready!" Nurse Joy called, and Ghost immediately jumped up to retrieve Crann. She thanked the nurse and left, immediately heading to the Pokémart.

"We're going to get stuff, like that nice lady said?" Crann asked, placing her arms on the bill of Ghost's baseball cap as she peered at the town curiously. The trainer laughed as the cap was pushed over her eyes and the Treecko jumped slightly, clinging to the girl's shoulder, startled.

Ghost gently lifted the Pokémon off of her shoulder and held her in her arms. "Yea, we're gonna pick up a few potions for now. Then we'll go see Brendan." She spoke softly, as she did when she was thinking. _She's still so young... Barely old enough to fight well... Is it fair to drag her into this Challenge? And other Pokémon too, as young or possibly even younger... Am I in over my head here?_ She paused, her hand hovering over the handle on the Pokémart door. She mentally shook herself back to reality and entered the mart.

She stood in the doorway stupidly for a moment, wondering where the potions were. The lady at the check-out counter looked over and called, "Pokémon are not allowed to be outside of their Pokéballs in here."

"Yes, ma'am." Ghost replied and looked down at Crann, who nodded compliantly. She put the Treecko into her Pokéball and returned it to her belt. Then she walked up to the counter and asked, "Where are the potions?"

"Aisle 2," the woman responded, then added, "I'm sorry for making you put your Treecko away, but it's company rule. We've had too many instances of unruly Pokémon picking fights with other Pokémon or damaging the store goods."

"It's fine." Ghost smiled and wandered down to the aisle that had been pointed out. She located the healing items and grabbed four of the small potion bottles. She turned to go to the counter and pay, when something caught her eye. She turned and saw a light blue bandana, with a Pokéball image on it. She picked it up, grinned widely, and continued to the check-out.

* * *

A few minutes later Ghost stood outside the Pokémart, her items placed in her bag. She removed the single Pokéball she owned from her belt and pressed the button, releasing Crann. The young grass-type stood on the ground, her head tilted back fully to see her trainer's face. The human knelt down, smiling. "I have a surprise for you." She brought the bandana out and tied it around her Treecko's neck. "Now we're partners."

Crann smiled and leaped up onto her usual place on Ghost's shoulder. "Yay! Let's go!"

Ghost laughed and stood up, looking around. There were two exits to the town, one leading to the west and Petalburg, the other leading north to Route 103. She thought for a moment, then walked towards the west exit. Brendan could wait long enough for her to get a Trainer Card. However, just as she was about to leave the town limits, something sprang out of the grass and pushed her onto her rear. She yelped and covered her face with her arms, waiting for another strike.

When nothing happened, she moved her arms and saw Crann pinning a man to the ground, beating him viciously as he tried hopelessly to remove her. "Get her off!" The assailant wailed helplessly.

"Crann, that's enough." Ghost called off the Treecko and stood as the man scrambled clumsily to his feet. "What's the big idea, jerk," she asked in irritation, her hand clenched in a fist.

"You almost ruined possible footprints of a rare Pokémon, that's the big idea!" The man ran a hand through his long black hair, inspecting the area leading out of Oldale anxiously. He turned back to the trainer and adjusted his glasses indignantly. "I'm sketching them, and I can't have some brat running through with their Pokémon and destroying this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"

"R-rare Pokémon?" She echoed breathlessly. "What sort of rare Pokémon do you have here in Hoenn?" Her eyes wide, the young girl looked at the footprint-sketcher expectantly.

The young man stammered nervously. "I'm- uh- I'm not sure. It- uh, might be- uh... A new species! I haven't had a chance to study the prints completely yet. So... don't come through this way yet, okay?" Without waiting for an answer he gently turned Ghost in the direction of the north exit. "Try that way, maybe. Good-bye."

As they walked towards Route 103, Crann huffed indignantly. "I bet he's lying. Did you see him stutter when you asked which Pokémon it was? We should have just beat him down and kept going."

Ghost gently rubbed the Treecko's nose. "I know he was lying, but I don't want you to get into a habit of beating humans who make you mad. Plus, maybe there's a chance Professor Birch was going to say something about the Trainer Cards when we got back. So come on," she turned her face to the new route. "Let's go face Brendan."

**Gah I'm sorry I know it's been a while since chapter 1 pleasedon'tkillme! Yea, I'm irritated with myself for the lack of things happening during the second half of this chapter. So boooring. It's so weird trying to figure out your character's choices and translate it into story. That's probably why it takes SO LONG to write a chapter. Plus my chapters are SO LONG. GAHHH!  
**

**Sorry, I just had- A little spazz attack there. Perfectly normal. Stay tuned for the next chapter, where things happen!  
**


	3. With Brendan

Thankfully for Ghost and Crann, Route 103 was short and they met no wild Pokémon, meaning that later they could come back and catch a Pokémon to add to the team. The route ended in a large, open space bordered on three sides by thick, impenetrable trees. There they found Brendan, completely absorbed in examining something on the ground.

Before Ghost could stop her, Crann leaped down onto the grass and ran over to the young man, shouting his name in excitement. But Ghost knew that all he heard was a Treecko calling out the name of its species.

Brendan looked up in surprise and found himself staring into the green Pokémon's big golden eyes. He jumped backwards slightly and ended up on his rear, shaking his head as he regained his bearings.

The female trainer walked over and held out her hand to help him up, chuckling quietly.

He blushed slightly and pushed himself up, rejecting the outstretched hand. "Hey, Ghost," he said in an attempt to be nonchalant while dusting off the back of his pants. Instead his voice cracked and he cleared his throat before trying again, his face now an even deeper shade of red. "Um, I see my dad gave you his Treecko. She's a bit of a handful sometimes."

"Sort of. But your dad sent me over here, saying you could 'show me what it means to be a trainer.' I suppose that means a battle, so how about it?" Ghost grinned mischievously, gesturing to Crann standing next to her and then to the Pokéball peeking out of the side pocket of Brendan's backpack.

"Ghost," he replied, returning her smile, "it would be my pleasure. But don't expect me to go easy, just 'cause you're new!" He brought out the Pokéball and tossed it in the air, catching it again and then throwing it away from him. It opened and a beam of light shot out, manifesting in the form of an orange fowl Pokémon.

"Tor- Torchic!" The two-legged creature cried, flapping his small, useless yellow wings. The pathetic-looking thing was even smaller than Crann, and didn't look like it could hurt a Pidgey.

_No problem. _"I think you're forgetting- My dad's a gym leader!" Ghost laughed, adjusting her cap so that you could clearly see the gleeful glint in her eyes. "Now destroy it, Crann!"

The Treecko ran onto the battlefield on all four legs, then stood, striking a karate pose. "Bring it, bird-brain," she taunted, grinning.

"Pound," Ghost commanded, pointing her finger at the Torchic.

Crann curled her hands into fists and ran at her opponent, slamming her fist into his stomach. Torchic bounced away, but immediately jumped back up, barely damaged. He made a strange hissing noise and darted towards the green reptile, his feathers fluffed out menacingly.

_It's fast! _Ghost thought with wide eyes. She watched as the fowl jumped and stretched out his foot, raking sharp, hooked talons down the left side of Cranny's face. "Crann! No!"

The grass-type cried out and clutched her face, blood seeping between her fingers. After a few moments, she took a deep breath and brought her arm away. The wound was bad. Three long lines cut down her face, one of which went across her eye. There was no way to tell if it had damaged her eyeball, as she couldn't see out of that eye right now anyway, not with the blood dripping into it. "I'm okay, Ghost," she muttered faintly. "Pound again?"

"Yea," the trainer replied breathlessly, watching her Pokémon anxiously, her hand on her bag in case she needed to grab a Potion.

The two opponents went back and forth, Pounding and Scratching, until they were both badly bleeding and panting.

"Crann," Ghost called, tossing a bottle.

The Treecko caught it, unscrewed the lid and gulped down the clear liquid inside. Slowly the wounds covering her body closed. All except the three scratches on her face. Ghost's heart skipped a beat as she saw that all that happened to those was that they stopped bleeding. It was just her first battle and there were already scars. Would that happen less as she grew stronger, or more?

"Thanks, I needed that." Crann's voice dragged Ghost out of her melancholy thoughts. "Now let's finish this." She got down on four legs and sprinted towards Torchic. Right before she reached him she leaped into the air and, interlocking her fingers, brought her hands down on top of her opponent's skull, all of her renewed strength put into that single blow.

The result was instantaneous. Torchic crumpled under Crann, his small black eyes glazed over. "Tor... Chic..." He murmured dazedly.

Brendan smirked and closed his eyes, holding out Torchic's Pokéball as the fire-type dissolved back in the sphere. "Not bad, Ghost. Then again, you are a Gym Kid." He chuckled and deposited the Pokéball in his backpack. "I get why my dad has his eye on you now. You've got potential, and you've formed a bond with Treecko- I mean, Crann in one day that's as strong as the one it took me two years to build. You just seem to emit this aura that attracts Pokémon and makes them trust you. That's good. You're going to be a good trainer." He smiled and looked down at his feet for a moment, then back up at Ghost, his expression suddenly grim. "Are you still taking the Nuzlocke challenge?" He blurted out.

The brunette girl found herself unable to keep eye contact any longer, and instead focused on a pine cone near the trees. "Yea, I am."

"Does Crann know?" His tone was dark. He was upset. And had every right to be- this was a Pokémon he had helped raise, after all.

Ghost's inhalation stopped short. No, Crann didn't know. She hadn't even thought that it was something her Pokémon needed to know.

Her stunned silence gave Brendan his answer. The boy sighed and said, "I won't try to talk you out of it again. I'm going to my dad's lab. You should come too." And with that he walked off, sliding down the nearby ledge and disappearing from view.

The other trainer stayed for a minute more, her eyes hidden beneath the brim of her cap. Crann slowly climbed back onto her shoulder and stared at her with concern, her eyes burning with questions. But the young Treecko knew that it was not the right time to ask. So she waited.

"Let me see your eye, Crann." Ghost turned to look at her Pokémon, who stared back with a forced smile. Relief swept through the girl as she cleaned and examined the scratched eye. As far as she could tell it looked the same as the other. "Can you see out of it?"

"Now that the blood's gone, yea." Crann responded cheerily. "Now let's go catch up with Brendan!" She tugged on her trainer's hair gently and playfully.

Ghost laughed and rubbed the grass-type's nose affectionately. "Okay, fine." She turned and followed Brendan's footsteps down the ledges and back towards Littleroot Town.

* * *

The door to Professor Birch's lab slowly eased open and gradually the head of a teenage brunette girl appeared, her laurel-colored eyes peering around searchingly. She took a deep breath and walked completely inside, clutching the strap of her bag nervously. She saw the professor standing with his son on the other side of the lab, in the middle of an argument by the looks of it, and attempted to silently sneak over to them. Crann had been returned to her Pokéball to avoid unwanted attention from the aides standing around, but it was unnecessary. They were all shamelessly watching their boss.

As she drew closer, Ghost heard the end of the Birchs' heated discussion. She quickly ducked behind a machine and listened, unable to see the males.

"Dad, you can't stop me. I'm leaving, and it's final."

"Brendan..." Professor Birch sounded desperate as he pleaded with his son. "I- I need you here, with me. You bring me all sorts of wonderful new informa-"

"You're kidding yourself. Even if it was something you didn't know before, you have aides that you can send to find out that kind of stuff. You don't _really_ need me here. I'll come home as soon as possible, I promise."

Birch sighed and demanded defeatedly, "Just tell me why."

There was a pause, then, "Ghost."

Even though no one could see her, the brunette felt her face turning red. _And what does that mean?_ She wondered furiously.

The professor, on the other hand, roared with laughter. "A girl's got you up and running off? She must be more special than I thought!"

By the urgent tone of his denial, Brendan was more than likely blushing also. "No, no! Dad, that's not what I meant!" He grew serious. "There's something... weird about her. I saw it in Crann. I- I can't explain it, but I want to keep an eye on her."

_Weird? Keep an _eye _on me?_ It took all of Ghost's willpower not to leap out of her hiding place and slug Brendan then and there. Taking a deep breath, she slowly crept back to the door and loudly opened then closed it, acting as if she had just arrived.

The Birches turned quickly as the door slammed, and the professor's face changed to a large, friendly grin. His son, however, scrutinized the girl suspiciously. She tried to keep her expression pleasant, or at least blank. She needed to show anything but the anger and confusion she felt.

"Come on over, Ghost! Brendan was just telling me about how well you battled! You beat him, and he's been helping raise and train Pokémon his whole life!" The professor said, offering a smile.

"Yea? Same here," she muttered as she went to join the two males.

"What was that?"

"Nothing. But why am I here?" Ghost was beginning to get irritated with all this. She just wanted to go travel Hoenn, not battle some guy she met twice who thinks there's something weird about her, find out she's illegal, then go all the way back to the town she started in, for some reason she didn't know.

"Ah, yes. I have a favor to ask you- both of you, in fact." He glanced at Brendan quickly, then turned and grabbed two objects off of a nearby table. They were small red devices, starting rectangular then rounding on one end.

Pokédexes.

Professor Birch handed them each a dex. "These are the newest model of Pokédex, completely empty, ready to be filled up. I hate to ask this, but could you two go around and fill them up?"

"Yes," Ghost responded quickly, her eyes wide with excitement. Her talking speed went to about three times the normal, as usual when she was excited. "I would love to, it's no problem at all, I may not bring this back very fast though because I'll take my sweet time traveling around and seeing _everything_ in Hoenn, plus I'm taking a challenge that lets me catch only one Pokémon per area so, counting duplicates, I'm not going to get very many Pokémon; in fact I don't know how you're supposed to fill this thing up during a Nuzlocke but I'm just gonna shut up now because you two are giving me weird looks."

Brendan snickered and handed her a bag. "There are some Pokéballs in there, just to help you start out. And just so you know, I'm gonna beat you." He grinned and ran out of the lab, his Torchic struggling behind him on short skinny legs.

Professor Birch shook his head in amusement, watching his son until the door closed. "Well, Ghost. Your Pokémon adventure will begin as soon as you step out of this laboratory. Have fun, meet new Pokémon, but don't forget to be careful." He patted her shoulder lightly. "Now, I suggest leaving town in the morning, it's getting late. Go have one last night with your mother." He smiled and pushed her towards the door.

Ghost nodded and left, stepping into the moonlight. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath through her nose, and then ran to her front door. She quickly grabbed Crann's Pokéball and shoved it into her bag, out of sight, before entering the house. "I'm home, Mo-"

She was cut off as her mother ran over and squeezed her in a tight hug around the neck. "Oh Ghost, I'm so happy for you! Your very own Pokémon! Let me see, let me see!"

"How do you... Who told you?" The teenager asked as she dug through the items in her bag and retrieved the Pokéball with the leaf sticker.

"Mrs. Birch heard it from Brendan, and then called me! Oh, she's so adorable!" She squealed as the Treecko appeared on her daughter's shoulder. "What's her name?"

"Crann," Ghost answered curtly and ran up to her room to avoid further questions.

"Do you not like your mom?" Crann asked as she walked over to the bed and jumped up on the pillow. She paused for a moment then curled up, her bright yellow eyes watching as her trainer began emptying various cardboard boxes.

"It's not that I don't like her," the brunette replied with a sigh. "She can just be... nosy, I guess, at times. Not to mention how hard she tries to make me girly. But, that's just not me." She shrugged. "She constantly tries to get me interested in Pokémon contests, showing me 'how pretty those girls look in the dresses that match their Pokémon, and the make-up that accents it' or whatever, blech." She wrinkled her nose. "If I entered a contest, I would wear exactly what I'm wearing right now." She gestured to the plain blue T-shirt and denim shorts on her body. "So, to answer your question: Yes, I love my mom, I just don't always agree with her." With that, she fell silent and continued unpacking.

After about an hour, Ghost turned to Crann. "Finally, I'm done!" She changed into her pajamas and crawled under the covers. Crann laid down against her stomach, smiling contently.

As they drifted off to sleep, the Treecko asked, "Ghost, what's the Nuzlocke challenge?"

The trainer paused, then said, "I'll tell you tomorrow, I promise. Tomorrow I'll explain everything."

"When our true adventure begins."

**Gah! I'm so sorry that I haven't updated since the week before forever ago! (That didn't make sense but I'll let it slide.) So, yea. We're finally out of the tutorial! It's about time. And the plot thickens a little bit. Unless Brendan is just a creeper and made that up. We may never know if I end up forgetting where I was gonna go with that plot point. Yay!**

**Current Team (these will be at the end of the chapter from now on)**

**Crann – Treecko - Level 8 – Bold Nature – Female**


	4. With Ghost?

The slowly dimming beams of moonlight filtered through the windows of the Sapphires' house, illuminating the rooms cluttered with unorganized possessions and unopened cardboard boxes. The clocks read one o'clock AM, and all of Littleroot's inhabitants were asleep. All except one.

This ungodly hour found Ghost creeping into her mother's bedroom, her hair tinted silver by the lunar rays. Her shoes and bag lay in the doorway as she slowly and silently made her way to Mrs. Sapphire's purse. She took a deep breath, then picked her way through the bag until she found the wallet, and removed 3000 Poké from it. She stood and stuffed the money in the pocket of her shorts, whispering, "I'm sorry, Mom." The items she bought yesterday were cheap, enough for her to get with built-up allowance. But this was a lot of money for her. And she'd need it.

As the young teenager descended the stairs, Crann cradled in her arms asleep, she noticed a shoebox on one of the boxes near the door, with a note leaning on it that read 'May.' She swallowed hard, knowing that her mother only used her real name, in writing or speech, when it was serious. She gently set her Treecko down and picked up the note, turning it to read the writing.

'My wonderful daughter, do you really think I don't know you? I may not know your entire reasoning, but I'm not stupid. You don't want to say goodbye before you leave. Well, this is a present from your father and me. I love you, and I know you're destined to do great things.

Love, Mom'

Reading that almost made Ghost turn right around and go back up to her room. Almost.

She lifted the lid of the shoebox up, and her eyes widened in surprise. Inside were two brand-new black high top sneakers. She had pleaded for them since seeing them in a store, but her mom said she didn't need them.

"Arceus, Mom. Thanks." She breathed, gingerly taking out the shoes and replacing her worn out tennis shoes with them. The brunette looked around for a writing utensil and, after finding one, hastily scribbled down a few words of thanks to her mother. She once again scooped up Crann and left her house, for the last time.

To be honest, it wasn't just her mother she was avoiding, although she was dodging a goodbye soaked in the older woman's tears. What Brendan had said the day before unnerved her. She hoped to leave before he woke up and lose him before the chase even began.

She woke Crann up, shaking her gently. "Wha... What," the grass-type mumbled groggily. She rubbed her golden eyes and looked up at her trainer questioningly.

"Sorry, but right now you're my only Pokémon, so you have to be awake. But we're going to catch a new teammate."

That made her perk up. "What'll it be? Maybe a Zigzagoon, or a Poochyena! Maybe it'll be another girl, and she'll be tough too."

Ghost just smiled and continued walking, letting her Pokémon fantasize. They passed through Oldale Town, which was dark and silent. Crann leaped down and bounded around, getting her blood circulating and waking herself up.

As they entered Route 103, the Treecko came closer to her trainer, peering about warily. They walked aimlessly around, waiting for a Pokémon to appear. As they passed under a tree, something dropped from the branches and landed on Ghost's face. There was a pause of shock, then the girl started running around, screaming "GETITOFFGETITOFF!" Eventually she had the sense to stop and peel the assailant off of her.

In her hands she held a small red worm-like creature, with yellow spikes on his rear and forehead. His large lemon-colored eyes were fearful as he cowered under the scrutiny of the trainer and partner. "I-I'm terribly sorry," he whimpered quietly. "I didn't mean to startle you. You awoke me from my sleep and I fell off of my branch."

Ghost stared at him for a moment, then realized that he was her first encounter for the route. "It's fine," she replied with a small smile. "Are you a wild Pokémon?"

"Y-yes," he answered tentatively. He yelped as the brunette brought out an empty Pokéball and pressed it gently on his face. He dissipated into a red light and disappeared inside the ball, which shook once, then twice before becoming still.

"Alright!" The trainer shouted, pumping her fist in the air. She released the bug-type and examined him for a moment before saying, "Our first teammate, Sprinkle!"

Crann smiled and patted his head in greeting. "I'm Crann, and this is Ghost. Welcome to the team!"

Sprinkle gave the equivalent of a smile and ducked his head in embarrassment.

"Oh, before I forget," Ghost said, bringing out the Pokédex. She opened it and pressed a button. The device scanned the new addition to the team and read out loud in a robotic voice as a picture appeared on the screen.

"Wurmple, the Worm Pokémon. Wurmple is targeted by Swellow as prey. This Pokémon will try to resist by pointing the spikes on its rear at the attacking predator. It will weaken the foe by leaking poison from the spikes."

Ghost closed the dex and placed it back into her bag. "Alright, Crann, Sprinkle. We're off!" She marched out of the route, back to Oldale. Crann glanced at the Wurmple and shrugged before following their trainer, mocking her exaggerated stride.

When they reached the town, instead of turning towards Petalburg, they continued straight, back towards Littleroot. "Um, Ghost? Where are we going?" The Treecko asked in confusion.

"To train Sprinkle, of course! He needs to catch up with you!"

"So why didn't we train on Route 103?"

Ghost halted in her tracks, causing Crann to crash into the back of her legs. Her mouth opened and closed silently for a moment, then she burst out, "Don't question me!" And they continued on.

Crann looked back at Sprinkle and laughed, running after the brunette. The young worm followed in bewilderment.

**One boring grinding later...**

Ghost and Crann stood next to each other, silently examining Sprinkle. After numerous lengthy battles, he had finally evolved. One second he just sat there, then he started to glow white. The next moment he was a white silky oval, with appendages sticking out on top. His eyes had become red, and were barely visible on either side of the oval. They had quickly discovered that he could no longer speak.

"Silcoon, the Cocoon Pokémon," the Pokédex announced. "Silcoon was thought to endure hunger and not consume anything before its evolution. However, it is now thought that this Pokémon slakes its thirst by drinking rainwater that collects on its silk."

Crann finally broke the awkward silence. "Well, it looks like he's..." She paused, glancing sideways at Ghost with a huge grin. "Under the weather."

Ghost stared at her for a moment, unamused. But slowly the corners of the trainer's mouth twitched into a smile, and then she burst out laughing. Finally, after calming down, she gently patted her Pokémon's head, then glanced up at the sky, which was turning pale pink and blue as the sun rose. "We need to get going." She picked Sprinkle up and ran back to Oldale, her Treecko on her heels.

* * *

"Hey!" Ghost called as they got closer to the west exit of Oldale. She saw the man who had been sketching the rare Pokémon footprints. He was leaning against the tree, looking at his sketchbook in perplexity. He glanced up as the trainer approached, then his eyes fell back to his drawing.

"Did you finish sketching the footprint? What Pokémon was it?" She asked, trying to sneak a look at the book.

The man blushed and refused to meet her gaze, drawing the pages closer to his chest. "It was... Um... My footprints." He finally answered, his face a deep shade of red.

The teenager stepped back, staring at him, waiting for him to say, "Just kidding!" But he didn't. He just stood there, withering under her silent judgment.

Her voice started calm, but escalated in volume. "How do you mistake _your own footprints for a Pokémon's?_" She took another step back, lifting her hands up in defeat. "You know what, actually, I don't care. Just don't get in my way again." She then exited Oldale Town, entering Route 102.

"Sorry," Crann said to the stunned man as she followed, though of course all he heard was a Treecko saying its name.

Ghost brightened as they grew farther away from the town. Her mind wandered, wondering what addition to her team this route would bring. Maybe a fire-type. Or a fighting-type. A flying-type that could take her all over the region, even. With no knowledge of Hoenn's Pokémon, the possibilities of her imagination were endless.

She was brought out of her thoughts by a low growl from the bushes. "Zig..."

"Bloody-" she was cut off as a brown zig-zag striped Pokémon jumped in front of them. "Alright, Sprinkle," she sighed, putting the Silcoon on the ground. "You've got this one. He's our new teammate, so don't hurt him too much."

She needn't have worried. With Sprinkle's boosted defence and average attack, the battle quickly ended with the Zigzagoon caught in a Pokéball. Ghost released him and took out her Pokédex, pressing the activation button.

"Zigzagoon, the Tiny Racoon Pokémon. The hair on Zigzagoon's back is bristly. It rubs the hard back hair against trees to leave its territorial markings. This Pokémon may play dead to fool foes in battle."

"Play dead, eh?" The trainer tilted her head as she looked at her newly acquired teammate.

"That's right, m'dear," the Zigzagoon replied, his tail wagging slightly. He had a strange accent that made Ghost imagine him wearing a monocle. "Emulating death is a fantastic way to avoid said state of being. I've mastered it, myself."

"Hm... Alright, Crann, Sprinkle, this is our new teammate, Actor!"

Actor narrowed his eyes slightly and waited for a moment, staring at his new trainer. "Wait, you're not joking?"

"Of course not!" She exclaimed, offended, as she tossed him a Potion. "Now drink that. We're going to get my Trainer Card now." She picked Sprinkle up then started her strange march in the direction of Petalburg. Crann followed, walking beside her new teammate and introducing herself, as well as explaining Ghost's behavior.

They hadn't gone very far when a human shouted, "Hey, little girl!"

Ghost turned, her eyes burning with annoyance. "Who said that?" She asked furiously, her hands balled into fists.

"Me," a boy even younger than Ghost replied snottily, stepping out of the shadows. "You're a trainer, aren'tcha? So battle me!" Without waiting for a reply, he tossed a Pokéball to the ground, releasing a Zigzagoon.

"You've brought this on yourself, punk. Actor," she paused, then whispered dramatically. "Tackle."

"With pleasure," the normal-type darted forward with surprising speed and slammed into the opponent with full force. It was a critical hit, and the foe collapsed in a faint instantly.

"Zigzagoon, no!" The brat shouted, picking up his Pokémon. He glared at Ghost. "Meanie," he sniffed and walked off.

"Alright, Actor!" Crann shouted, pumping her fist in the air.

Ghost turned from making faces at the kid's back. "Oh, yea. You definitely proved yourself, Actor. That was great."

He grinned cockily, his bushy tail stuck in the air. "Please, that required no effort. Now, I believe you were going to receive a card?"

* * *

Ghost entered the Trainer Card Issuing Station in Petalburg, Crann riding on her shoulder, her other two Pokémon hidden in her bag, to assume the appearance of a new trainer. They had met a few more trainers on the way, but with the combined strength of Crann, Sprinkle, and Actor, it was no problem sweeping them.

"I'd like a Trainer ID, please."

"Name?"

She paused, debating whether to use her real name or her nickname. "Ghost Sapphire."

The man behind the counter gave her a look. "You're Norman's kid?"

"Yes, yes I am."

He paused for a moment, scrutinizing her curiously, then looked away and started typing information onto a computer. "No badges yet, though?"

"No."

"Is that your only Pokémon?"

She hesitated, glancing at Crann with uncertainty.

"Be honest, kid. It's important."

She sighed. "No, I have a Zigzagoon and a Silcoon that I evolved from a Wurmple."

A machine next to the computer started making noise, and a laminated green rectangle slid out of a slot. The man handed it to Ghost. "Here ya go, you're now an official trainer. Good luck, and have fun!"

"Thank you," she replied and left, breathing a sigh of relief as she stepped out of the building, putting the license in a small pocket of her bag.

"You don't like answering questions, do you?" Crann asked, peering at her.

"No," the trainer admitted, shoving her hands into her pockets.

"Is that why you won't tell me what the Nuzlocke challenge is?"

Ghost halted, looking at the Treecko with warm eyes and a sorrowful frown. Even though she was a skilled battler and showed herself to be sharp-tongued when frustrated, the grass-type was still young and naïve. Her golden gaze glimmered with innocent curiosity as she patiently waited for her trainer's reply.

"Okay, Crann. You need to know."

* * *

A few minutes later, the team sat in the shade of a tree, the three Pokémon watching their trainer intently. The males had been informed by Crann only that they were learning something important. Ghost had paced while they lounged as she searched for the right words. She was hoping not to frighten them away, but she didn't want to lie or sugarcoat it. Finally, she went and sat cross-legged in front of her teammates, looking at them for a moment before taking a deep breath and beginning.

"Well, there's something that I need to tell you guys. You see, I've taken a challenge. It's called the Nuzlocke challenge. It's a special, more difficult way to travel around the region with Pokémon. There are three rules. First, I can only catch the first Pokémon I encounter for each route. Which would be you two," she said, gesturing to Sprinkle and Actor. "Second: I have to give a nickname to each Pokémon I catch. And the third and worst rule. If a Pokémon is injured to the point of fainting, then I can't heal them or use a revive. I have to let them die."

Crann's reaction was instant and furious. She jumped to her feet and glared at her trainer, making wide gestures with her arms. "Die? You have to let your Pokémon – let _us_ - _die? _That's insane! Why would you do that?"

"I don't know," Ghost admitted truthfully. "The thrill of the challenge, maybe? All I know is that it's what I want to do. If you guys don't want to risk it, then you can leave. I'll... I'll be fine with it. It's your choice." Her head lowered slightly, her eyes hidden beneath the bill of her hat.

There was a minute or two of silence as the Pokémon looked at each other, silently debating on whether they were willing to risk their lives or not. Finally, Actor sighed and stepped forward. "Ma'am?" Ghost looked up at him as he spoke softly. "I may not have been in your service for long, but I do believe you are a capable trainer, and I want to help you complete this challenge."

The corners of the girl's mouth tilted upwards slightly. Her eyes shone as Sprinkle shook a little in a sort of nod, a pleasant hum emitting from the silver oval. Crann stood, turned away from them, her arms crossed as she stared at the ground defiantly, battling with herself.

She had grown up confined in the lab, and when she had first realized that the professor was going to give her to the brunette who had commanded her to attack that Poochyena, she thought that finally she would get to go on an adventure, traveling about Hoenn and defeating gyms. But now there would be the constant threat of losing her life or her friends in an instant. Was that a risk she was willing to take?

The Treecko faced her trainer, clutching the bandanna around her neck gently. "When you gave me this, you said that it signified our new partnership. Did you know at that point that it was possible that I would die?"

"Yes," Ghost answered hesitantly.

Crann's grip tightened, and for a heart-pounding moment she was tempted to rip the cloth off and run away. Maybe back to the lab. But then she would once again be trapped, only allowed to roam around Littleroot and just outside under Professor Birch's strict supervision. And she wasn't sure if she could make it alone in the wild. Living such a sheltered life, she would have to rely solely on instinct, and there was no telling how useful that would be.

Slowly her hand relaxed and fell to her side. "I see no reason to part so soon. It's not like you'll deliberately set us up to die. Besides," she added with a smirk, her fingers tracing the healing scars running down her face. "If I stick with you, I have a good chance to get my revenge on that glorified campfire of Brendan's."

Ghost managed to return the grin, getting to her feet and placing her hands on her hips. "Now that we have that out of the way, it's time to move on to another problem." She took Sprinkle into her arms and turned back to Petalburg. Being closer to her mouth than the others, the silent Silcoon was the only one to hear the whispered words of his trainer.

"I'm coming, Dad."

**Current Team**

**Crann - Treecko - Level 9 - Bold - Female  
**

**Sprinkle - Silcoon - Level 7 - Docile - Male  
**

**Actor - Zigzagoon - Level 7 - Hasty - Male  
**

**-_- *stares at Actor's and Sprinkle's names* What's WRONG with me?  
**


	5. With Norman

The thirteen-year-old stood in front of Petalburg Gym, dwarfed by the enormity of the building. She glared at it with her mouth set in a straight line, though the effect was ruined by her squinting, caused by the sunrise reflecting off of the pond nearby. Each beat of her racing heart brought strength as she steeled herself to face the man who had as good as abandoned her mother and herself.

"Ghost," spoke the green reptile beside her quietly. "we need to get a move on." She gently uncurled one of the human's hands and started walking towards the entrance. Ghost resisted for a moment, then allowed Crann to lead her through the door and into the gym.

The first room was large and well-lit, with a design not unlike a dojo. Standing near the center was a dark-haired man in his early forties, leaning against a Slaking with his arms folded, watching his daughter enter expectantly. "May," he said flatly, his green-gray eyes flashing.

"Don't call me that," the teenager growled as she withdrew her hand from her Treecko's.

"Ah yes, what is it you're going by now? Ghost? Honestly. That's not even a real name." Norman shook his head slightly, sighing.

There had always been tension between the gym leader and his child, as they didn't quite see eye-to-eye. He wasn't fond of her lack of focus, paired with a stubborn hardheadedness that even he couldn't force to yield, while she despised how little time he had off of work, and how determined he was to make her into a no-nonsense, hardcore trainer. It was the final straw when the elder Sapphire ran off to Hoenn, promising to contact them whenever possible – a promise he, unsurprisingly, didn't keep.

"I was afraid that you wouldn't show up, and I'd rather not have to chase you around town. Birch sent a letter," he added, in response to his daughter's surprised glance. "He figured you'd stop by to show off your new Pokémon, and get your dad's congratulations."

"Yea, no offense to the professor, but he doesn't pick up on things very well."

"Yet here you are," Norman shot back, smirking.

Ghost stared for a moment, taken aback, her nose wrinkling slightly as she grasped for a comeback. "That... That's not why I'm here, though!" She stammered hurriedly.

Her father opened his mouth, but before he could speak the door was slowly pushed open.

The two watched as a boy timidly peered in, then took a few steps towards the gym leader before halting. His silver gaze darted between them, and he flushed as he became aware of his intrusion. "I-I'm sorry, I'll come back another time..." He muttered in embarrassment, turning to the door. "Wait," Norman called, stopping the boy in his tracks. "It's alright, Wally. What do you need?"

Wally glanced at Ghost before speaking. "You, uh... You said you'd help me catch a Pokémon today." He gave a small cough as he went to the elder man. Norman handed him a Pokéball and, as they had a quick discussion that she cared nothing about, Ghost took the time to examine this newcomer.

Even though he was clearly older than her, though not by much, Wally had the physique of a ten-year-old. And not a very attractive ten-year-old at that. His sickly pale face appeared shrunken, causing his facial features to pop out grotesquely. He seemed to hunch over slightly, and every once in a while broke into a nasty coughing fit, causing his odd, disheveled green hair to fall over his face, which he pushed back in an unsuccessful attempt to make it neat.

She was drawn back into the conversation as her name was said. The two males had turned to her and Norman's hand was stretched toward her. "And this is my daughter, May. May, you heard all that, right?"

"Ghost, and-"

"Go with Wally, make sure he safely catches a Pokémon." Ghost turned her eyes back on the green-haired boy. Something in his bulging gaze caused her to recoil and glance at her father, silently pleading him to take it back. "I just stopped by quickly to-"

"Come on," Wally cried, grabbing her hand and dragging her out the door, an idiotic grin plastered on his face.

"Ghost!" Crann shouted, dropping onto all four legs and sprinting after them. She had zoned out completely during that whole episode, caring about as much as her trainer, and was shaken out of it when Ghost accidentally kicked her in the face.

"I hate you already," the female trainer muttered as Wally, still dragging her along, began singing a made-up song about being the "very best, like no one ever was."

And Wally was very tone-deaf.

* * *

Ghost stood with an expression of complete loathing, watching Wally recklessly stomp into the taller grass of Route 102, still smiling stupidly, and now humming his song. "Couldn't we have gone the other way, so I could have gotten a new Pokémon?"

The green-haired boy turned, his bulgy eyes sparkling. "May!"

"Ghost."

"This is so exciting," he continued, as if he hadn't heard her. "I never even dreamed of getting my own Pokémon – I have health problems, and sometimes I throw up from coughing – but then your dad came to Petalburg. My dad and I went to say hi, and when he heard that I didn't have a Pokémon he started coming to see me every day and training me with his Pokémon, and he promised to help me catch my own Pokémon, but tomorrow I'm going to live with my aunt and uncle, so I have to get one today, but your dad was busy, so he sent you with me. Your dad is really nice, he said one day that I was like the son he never had. Isn't tha-"

His rambling was cut short by Ghost planting her hand on his face and shoving him into a tree. She was livid with anger, and her green-gray eyes sparkled with tears pricking at the back of her eyes, struggling to spill out onto her face. Her blood boiled as she struggled not to pound Wally, her entire body shaking. "You're lucky I don't beat the crap out of you," she growled, then turned on her heel and began to trudge away.

Crann followed, frowning in concern as she watched her friend. Even though they had only been together for a few days, the Treecko was already sympathetic towards the human, and seeing the sorrowful fury flickering in her gaze was heartbreaking.

The two were halted at Wally's ecstatic cry. "Hey, a Ralts!"

He had quickly recovered from the girl's outburst, and was once again on his feet, the Pokéball containing Norman's Pokémon in his hand. A few feet from him stood a white bipedal creature, crowned with a green dome.

Ghost watched the ensuing, boring battle with disinterest, not realizing the rarity of the encounter. She was still seething from the earlier incident, brooding in her own self-pity. Crann decided to keep the information to herself, knowing it would only rub salt in the wound.

When it was over, Wally stood staring in awe at the red-and-white ball in his grasp, which now contained the Ralts. His breath quickened, becoming shallower by the second. "I did it..." He whispered, then grew louder. "May, I di... I did i..." He swayed where he stood, his back turned from them, and suddenly fell on his face.

Ghost started and yelped in surprise, craning forward on her toes to peer at the motionless form. She sighed in relief and exasperation as he stirred slightly. "Wonderful," she moaned, "he fainted." She turned to Crann, grabbing her other two Pokéballs and sending Actor and Sprinkle to join them. "Crann, I want you and Actor to take Wally back to his house. Please," she added as the two Pokémon glanced at the fainted boy, then each other uncomfortably.

Crann closed her eyes and sighed in defeat, knowing there was no point in arguing. "Where are you going, though?"

The trainer picked up her father's lent Pokéball from near Wally's head. "I didn't get to finish talking to my dad," she replied simply, taking her Silcoon into her other arm.

"Are you certain you won't require our assistance?" Actor inquired, glancing at Sprinkle dubiously. The mute cocoon vibrated slightly, emitting an angry humming sound akin to a swarm of bees.

"Sprinkle can hold out for a time if we take too long," Crann chastised gently. "But, just in case... We'll hurry back." She hesitantly grabbed the leg of Wally's pants.

"Just a moment," Actor turned to Ghost. "Pray tell, how will we know which building is home to the lad?"

His trainer paused for a second, looking thoughtfully to the right, then replied, "Just... Drag him around until someone claims him. And if all else fails, leave him outside the first house you see. I honestly couldn't care less."

Actor halted to glance curiously at the girl, then joined Crann, grumbling under his breath. He quickly took the boy's other leg in his mouth and started running, forcing the Treecko to sprint with him.

Ghost stood in contemplation, watching the two re-enter the city and grow smaller and smaller.

The team had taken a few days to rest and train, with lodgings provided by the Center, and they were given the chance to become familiar with each other. The differences in the Pokémon's fighting styles and, in fact, their personalities, were noted by their trainer and stored in the back of her mind for future reference.

Crann's strategy remained the same as at the beginning of their journey, using her grace and diminutive stature in conjunction with brute force. What she lacked in size and strength, she made up for in cleverness and passion. Off of the battlefield, she was empathetic, and took on the role of a mediator of sorts in the team. She had the tendency to speak her mind, regardless of the effect it had on the situation, which Ghost had the opportunity to experience firsthand when the Treecko was telling the others about her life at the lab.

"Brendan is the professor's son," she had explained between mouthfuls of Pokéfood. "He's really nice and a good trainer, but he prefers watching and studying Pokémon rather than training them, which is why Ghost and I beat him easily. It's not difficult to read his mood, and I can tell that he thinks Ghost is pretty." This had been accompanied by a sly glance at the brunette who, stricken, hastily changed the subject and busied herself with brutally attacking her food, her face turning a deep shade of red.

Actor was a little more complex in terms of actually comprehending his moods and behavior. Next to nothing was known about his past, besides what little could be inferred, and he exhibited no signs of wanting to discuss it. Obviously, he was raised in a high-end society; his sophisticated speech was proof enough of that. His manner, however, rather than being that of a gentleman, was arrogant, and headstrong. He never really believed that he was wrong, especially when a mistake was made in a battle. He tended to rush head-on into danger, relying on his speed to gain the upper hand, which didn't always work in his favor. Ghost knew she'd have to keep an eye on him, or he could very well end up as the first casualty.

She glanced down at a quiet hum from beneath her chin. The trainer smiled softly at Sprinkle and started walking, keeping to the shade as much as possible, which was difficult with the sunlight blazing harshly almost directly overhead. There still wasn't much they knew about the former Wurmple, with his temporary muteness and slow leveling. Ghost could only hope that, once he evolved, he would turn into an incredibly strong fighting machine. Though, from their acquaintance before he became a Silcoon, she knew that he was timid, with a good heart and weak stomach. She just couldn't picture him as an all-destroying machine.

Her thoughts kept her preoccupied until, without her realization, the gym once again loomed over her, partially concealing the sun from view. She entered, this time with no hesitation, and immediately lobbed her father's Pokéball at said man.

He caught it with no effort, again smirking in a way that gave Ghost the urge to punch him in the head. She felt that, in his eyes, she was but a child to be sent away with a pat on the head and a 'good job.' It was so frustrating, she wanted to scream.

"At least tell me you didn't kill him," Norman said after a moment, pocketing his Zigzagoon.

"Last time I saw him, he was alive." She replied carelessly. "Now, no more interruptions, right?"

"None scheduled."

"Good." A smirk of her own, similar to Norman's, grew on Ghost's face as she lowered Sprinkle to the floor. "Now, I think it's time to show you that I can be a trainer. Norman Sapphire, I challenge you to a Gym battle!" Her final cry was emphasized by an extended arm, her index finger aimed at her father.

The middle-aged man's gaze flickered back and forth from his child to the white orb tottering hesitantly at her feet. Confused disbelief shadowed his face as he waited, either for a sudden substitution, or a laugh-filled "Gotcha!" from the girl. When the awkward pause had stretched on for a reasonable amount of time, Norman accepted that Ghost was challenging him with a Silcoon, and, much to her chagrin, burst into gleeful laughter. The force of his mirth brought the Gym Leader to his knees, one hand on his Slaking's side, the other wrapped around his stomach. Tears streamed down his cheeks as his daughter watched on, her expression turned sour.

This went on for several minutes, during which Crann and Actor returned. The latter took one look at the situation, Norman on his knees, laughing, while Ghost looked ready to explode, then turned and walked out. Crann shot him a disgusted look and went to Ghost. "Your challenge didn't go over well, I presume?"

"What makes you say that," Ghost muttered sarcastically in reply. "Did you get rid of the kelphead?"

Crann nodded, frowning slightly. "We found his parents fairly quickly. Or, should I say, they found us. By the sound of their excited chattering, Wally forgot to mention that he was leaving, and his parents assumed that he had decided to make the long trek to his aunt and uncle's house in Verdanturf Town by himself, and so they nearly had heart attacks when they saw us dragging him along the road."

"They said all that to two random Pokémon?"

"Oh no," Crann said with a facetious grin. "Wally woke up at some point, and he and his parents had a big discussion right there on the road. You humans really are excitable creatures." This remark earned a sideways glance from her trainer, who shook her head but said nothing.

By this point, Norman had gotten a hold of himself, and was rising to his feet. He wiped a tear from his eye, and said with a grin, "Alright kiddo, you gave me a good laugh. But seriously, I wouldn't even fight that Treecko of yours, and Birch told me that she's a strong one. These Pokémon are big, and violent. They're trained to pound the ever-living crap out of their opponents with all of their body mass. Frankly, you aren't strong enough yet."

"But-" Ghost began to protest, before being cut off.

"No 'but's, little missy. Now, let's say... Four badges? Get four badges, then come back and we can try this again. Now, run along. I suggest you get started. Getting four badges takes a lot longer than you think." With these final, foreshadowing words, Norman waved his hand in a shooing motion.

His daughter let out a long, exaggerated groan, which persisted as she retrieved Sprinkle from the ground and exited the gym. The Silcoon, agitated by the sound, began emitting a loud, high-pitched whine in response. Actor, who was waiting for them outside, flattened his ears to block out the noise as he trotted slightly ahead, anxious to get out of the city as quickly as possible.

They were barely out of the city limits when Crann snapped. "Enough!" She shouted, kicking Ghost in the back of her knee. The trainer, caught off-guard, ceased her moaning as she landed on her rear, staring wide-eyed at the Treecko. Sprinkle was jarred out of her grip and landed in the grass, rolling a few times until stopping a few feet from his trainer.

"Crann," Ghost started, but, as luck usually had it, she was again stopped from forming a complete sentence. This time by a garbled scream, muffled as if the screamer had something stuffed in their mouth.

The three turned just in time to see a slim, black shape soaring away, their Silcoon in its grasp. "Sprinkle!" Ghost and Crann shouted simultaneously.

* * *

**Hooray, failhanger! But seriously, I am SO sorry that it took so long to get this chapter up. School has been taking up even more time than I estimated. I wish I could say that I was working on this steadily for four months, but in all truth, I wrote more than half the chapter in a week after I published chapter three, and just finished it last night. Don't worry, I'll try harder next time.**

**There's really no point in putting my team status for this chapter, since nothing changed. At this point, everyone is level 9... I think. I'm going on notecards here, so I may be wrong. But I think everyone's level 9. So that's what I'll go with. Anyway, see you next chapter!**

**- Ghosty**


	6. Future Site of Chapter Six

**Holy crapcakes it's been too long.**

**I'm so, so sorry guys. School has been killer for me and I've had little time to do anything, let alone write.**

**But (hehe, butt) that's about to change. Summer's here, and that means free time to play my file (holy crap I haven't played it in forever) and write about it.**

**This whole letter-thing will be replaced with chapter 6 as soon as I've finished (*cough*started*cough*) writing it, so check back eventually!**

**-Ghosty**


End file.
